Clothes-rack.



Ptnted Dec. 23. |902'.

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JAMES M. DOWNING, OF MOUNT PULASKI, ILLINOIS.

CLOTH ES-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 716,393, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed April 3, 1900. Serial No. 11,326. (No model.)

To all whom it 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. DOWNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Pulaski, in the county of LoganV and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object is to present a foldable clothes drier or rack in which the parts when spread apart for use will provide in a given space the greatest suspending capacity--that is to say, in which there Will be no interference between the plurality of rungs or hanging-rods, as by too close proximity to each other or by reason of disposition one above the otherwhereby all of the rods may be utilized to advantage; furthermore, to present a foldable clothesrack in which any collapse in use will be obviated, the disposition and arrangement of the legs being such that in all positions the Weight of the structure itself or any added weight, as by suspended clothing, will throw the lines of strain downward directly on the legs, thus causing the legs firmly to retain aV vertical position whether the rack be partially or fully extended; furthermore, to present a foldable clothes-rack which may be folded without disturbing the articles suspended thereon, and which when folded will occupy but small space, which shall be light and thus easily transported,and which may with readiness and ease be opened and spread out for use.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a clothesrack, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts,Figure 1 is a view in perspective displaying the rack when set up for use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the rack folded. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of securing the rungs with the frame of the device.

In describing the rack the position of the parts referred to are those which will be occupied when the rack is spread out for use, as shown in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the legs of the drier, each consisting of a single piece of Wood of the requisite length; A2, the jointed side pieces ofa two-part top frame; A3, the jointed side pieces ofapair of two-part inclined side frames, and A4 the rungs or hanging-rods. The side pieces A2 of the top frame (four in number) are by preference of equal length and are pivotally connected at their inner ends by a rung, as shown at a, and at their outer ends to the upper portion of the legs A by rungs d2. The side pieces A3 of the side frames are pivotally connected at their upper ends to each other by a rung, as shown at a3, intermediately of the ends of the upper portion of each frame by rungs a4 to the top frame,and intermediately of the lower portion of each frame to the legs A by rungs A5.

kThe drier, composed of the dierent portions as described, is adapted for use When either Wholly or partially extended, the construction and assemblage of the dierent portions being such that in all positions from approximately closed to fully extended the legs maintain a substantially vertical position, and the relation of the parts is such that at all times any weight applied to the rungs Will cause the pressure to be exerted upon the legs vertically, so that any involuntary collapse from weight is obviated.

'In addition to subserving the function of a clothes-drier the device may be used for supporting boards, thus to constitute a table upon which ironing Inay be done or for supporting fruit to be dried, or in lieu of a board the drier may in its partially-extended position serve as a support for any other article. It will be understood that the members of the top and side frames of the drier are so proportioned and arranged relative to each other as to bring the ends of the members and rungs carried thereby into the saine horizontal plane to constitute a support for a board or thelike when the rack is partially extended.

The manner in which the-rungs are connected With the frame of the device is by reducing the cross-diameter of the end of each rung to constitute a tenon having a square shoulder, which tenon will then be engaged with the opening in the part of the frame to which it Will be secured, and a nail or other fastening means passed through the tenon will serve to secure the parts iirmly together. This manner otsecuring the parts of the frame together presents the advantages of stability and cheapness, as it Will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 the connection will be exceedingly simple, yet strong and durable.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a clothes-rack, the combination of the jointed, tWo-part,horizontal portion, one-part Vertical legs located at the ends of the horizontal portion and jointed therewith, two-part JAMES M. DOWNING.

Witnesses:

W. M. MARTIN,

A. SGROGGIN. 

